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Dr. Tenisha Warner, the widow of actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner, has filed a lawsuit against his mother, Pamela Warner, over a dispute involving his prenuptial agreement and family trust. She is seeking more than $1.2 million in compensation, claiming she is owed benefits that were promised during their marriage.
According to a complaint first reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Dr. Warner filed the lawsuit in DeKalb County Superior Court on Monday, the anniversary of Warner's drowning death in Costa Rica.
Court documents reveal that under the prenuptial agreement the couple signed before their 2017 marriage, Warner agreed to provide several financial benefits to his wife. Those obligations reportedly included securing a $1 million life insurance policy naming her as the sole beneficiary, paying her $5,000 per month for serving as his "chief of staff," providing an annual $16,000 anniversary payment, funding a tax-free retirement account in her name, and maintaining college funds for their children.
In the complaint, Dr. Warner claims that several of those promises were never kept before the actor's death. She is now seeking to recover those alleged obligations from Warner's estate, which court filings estimate is worth between $3.4 million and $6 million. In addition to seeking financial compensation, Dr. Warner is asking the court to prevent her mother-in-law, Pamela Warner, who serves as trustee of the family trust, from distributing any trust assets until the dispute is resolved.
Warner’s mother has yet to respond to the suit. She recently shared a tribute on social media on the anniversary of his death, which seemingly foreshadows the latest lawsuit.
"I am a firm believer that everything has a purpose and a reason. Some of it is Karma, some of it is one’s journey. I believe there is always a lesson in unpleasant and pleasant experience,” she wrote. “I believe that we are spiritual beings having a human experience. Our lives are tailor made for us specifically. One size does not fit all. We are all on a journey of discovery, healing and opportunities to be better, improve and transform our spiritual selves. My journey over the past year has been just that, abundantly so.
“During my year-long journey, I have discovered how cruel, evil, and greedy a human can be,” she added. “I have also discovered the depth of love, care, concern and support that humans are capable of. All of which I have been the recipient of. The good, the bad and the ugly. These are the lessons that apparently I will need as I continue my journey.”
Attorneys for Tenisha Warner did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the pending litigation.
This article was originally published on Rolling Stone.
